Three photo of my father, me and NC2666M
Project Status
First engine start, June 6, 2008
May 2007
September 2005
This Piper was originally sold to W. C. Wheatley of Clayton Mew Mexico on December 9, 1946 for $3295.00. On February 4, 1947 it was sold to Southern Air Service of Memphis Tennessee. Southern Air Service was owner by Mrs. Louise Cambell Kent, Cy Shobe, and C. W. Wood. In February of 1947, it was flipped over resulting in major repairs to both wings, and required the replacement of serval ribs.
On October 17, 1947 it was sold to Waterways Aircraft Company of Vicksburg Mississippi. My father, Harry E. Shumaker (Ed) had been maintaining this Piper since it moved to Vicksburg. On December 28, 1948 it was sold to Joseph J. Richie of Vicksburg Mississippi.
On September 1, 1950 it became part of the Shumaker Family when Robert Shumaker purchased it with some financial assistance from his sister Catherine. During March 1952, my father recovered it for the first time, using Grade A fabric, five coats of clear nitrate dope and five coats of silver dope. He also repaired some bent diagonals in the fuselage and put in a new windshield.
My father looked after the PA-12 while Robert was in the Navy. He moved it to Marianna, Florida in 1953. On June 23, 1959 my father became the owner. While it was in storage in my father's hanger in the late 50s, it survived the hangar being blown over. My father recovered it again in March 1963. I soloed in it on June 19, 1963. S & S Air Service used it for flight instruction and fire patrol for several years. On the fire patrol some days it would fly eight hours per day.
After a long and hard working stay with S & S Air Service, this Piper became the property of Byron and Dana (Dan) Shumaker. On June 1, 1986 Dan became the owner and completed its restoration in 2010.